Image via WikipediaI’ve been writing for awhile now. I’ve done the online critique group thing (which I loved and I wish I could pour more hours into it) I’ve done the how to book thing. I’ve read numerous magazines on the craft. I finally feel like I’ve found my groove, my voice – my mojo. Don’t get me wrong, I’m by no means an expert and I know I have lots more to learn but I don’t feel like a newbie anymore.
So, I’ve been looking for something new to encourage me in my writing endeavors.
I joined a group.
I’m so NOT a group person. I hated group projects at school. I always got stuck with idiots who had no idea what to do, and that one guy who never washed his socks. So joining a group was a big deal for me.
The online listing read:
The Guest Speaker will be Children’s Author: Kim Parachoniak… who will be discussing How To Write For Children and Youth! You will love this event. This is the time to gather information EVEN if this isn’t your usual ‘genre’! Catch you there!
It sounded nice and easy going. The speaker was a grade school teacher and she offered some great tips on word counts, difficulty levels, subject matter etc.
Then the weirdness started. It seems the ‘leader’ of the group is affiliated with some sort of self publishing company. She does seem to have a great deal of knowledge about writing books but I got a strong used car salesman vibe from her. It also seemed like a lot of the members had ingested the wacky kool aid she was serving up. I have NO interest in self pubbing whatsoever and I have even less interest in something when it sounds cheesy and cheap.
Anyhow, I guess I don’t have to be best friends with anyone. I’ll attend one more meeting and see if the info about writing is worth being subjected to the self pub propaganda. My hopes are not high.
What about you guys? Do any of you participate in groups? How do you stay inspired? Let me know what’s up in comments.
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Some groups can be a downer.
After years of teaching writing, I joined an ex-officio group of writers out of lmy immediate circle, just for fun.
It had been my turn to read something just after a Russian lady had read a beautiful passage in English about Russian Easter. It was wonderful, but I know where she had gotten the segment.
I read my own stuff, and it suddenly seemed to be be some kind of insult to her.
“I don’t know how to say this,”she had snorted.
“But what with your past accomplishments, this chapter is really awkward…boring, actually.
Well, I knew she had stolen outright the Easter account from a Maxim Gorky novel.
I was more plucky in those days.
“Im sorry you though my chapter dull,” I had said.
“Yours is brilliant, but, unfortunately, I know where you got it from. It is Maxim Gorky, c. l923.
Her sneer vanished.
I had to drive the bolt home.
“And there’s something Gorky said at the end:”
“Be good, be kind, be humane, and charitable; love your fellows; console the afflicted; pardon those who have done you wrong.”
…I didn’t have to add that last part, but I had just taken a Russian course and had to put on the sobaka a little bit.
I think we were in a bitch fight.
Atr leats the guest speaker was interesting. You are probably right about he group leader. Stay away from the funny purple drink! The only time I have really read my writing for anyone was when I attened a writing seminar for teaching two summers ago- The National Writing Project. It was motivating but stressful. I did belong to a book club but we haven’t met in months. It seems I need some inspiration.
I’m in a group but this one you’re talking about sounds more like someone trying to sell you something. Be careful. I really enjoy my group and it definitely helps keep me energized.
Writing groups can be a huge boost, but you have to find the one that fits you. If you want to pursue writing for kids and/or teens, you might want to find a local SCBWI group (www.scbwi.org)–that is the most generous and helpful bunch I’ve ever hung out with!
Ivan – I love how you can refer to yourself as a bitch and keep a straight face
Danielle – hope you find your inspiration!
Charles – I’m glad you have a good group. Don’t worry about me, I can smell a sales pitch from a mile away
Luckygirl – thanks for the link…I’m off to check it out!
Outside of a couple writing courses I signed up for, I’m not one for groups–though I did start my own once, when living in Victoria and looking for a little inspiriation or feeedback.
There were only ever two or three of us. We we sat and talked about our everyday lives as much as the writing. It was fun, but didn’t last. We started in the fall, lasted through the winter but interest drifted away over the spring and summer.
I meet local writers/authors for coffee or lunch, but we talk aobut just about anything BUT writing.
To be honest, about inspiration I’m not sure I have a choice.
My challenge is trying to get as much out as a piddling twenty-four hours allow…
YES!!! Just last night I wrote a friend about how I’m not planning on attending a certain meeting anymore. For a while I couldn’t put my finger on it but you described it *perfectly*!!! Used car salesman vibe and drinking the kool-aid … YES!!!
Why does it feel so good that SOMEBODY understands! The group I’m referering to is not a writing group but it’s the exact thing you describe.
The second I joined I began being barraged by the group leader with e-mails about how we should all come to her ($85) workshops.
I noticed in the meeting a repeated reference to what she does in her workshops and I just felt ikky! I couldn’t quite figure out what it was. I kept questioning myself, “Of course people are welcome to share that they run a workshop … what was I so bugged out about? Everyone needs a little plug here and there, right?” … but ICK!!!
I’m so curious to know because this is something I’ve been trying to figure out since then … What do you feel is the difference between the ikky-yukky-poo-poo feeling we were having and a normal/acceptable/harmless plug of one’s own work?
THANK YOU for addressing this and making me feel “joined”!